


Kill the Prince

by ChaosController



Category: Thomas Sanders, Video Blogging RPF
Genre: M/M, Medieval AU - Freeform, No Blood, analogical - Freeform, assassin anxiety, death not explicitly depicted, kinda hermit patton, little bit of protective anxiety, little bit of protective roman, not really but kind of, one family member kills another for riches trope, prince logan, prince roman
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-14
Updated: 2017-06-19
Packaged: 2018-11-14 00:37:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 13,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11196792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChaosController/pseuds/ChaosController
Summary: A prince on the run saved by an assassin. Sheltered by a hermit of sorts and living life as a bartender. Peaceful, no? Until his brother gets a coronation.(or: medieval au where there are assassins, princes and slightly protective Anxietys')





	1. Uncles, assassins, and death. Oh, my!

**Author's Note:**

> I'll be posting the first chapter today and the others sporadically throughout this week and next week. Enjoy.

Roman turned his head as he ran, his breath coming out rough and uneven as his lungs struggled to pull in more oxygen. The image of his uncle’s evil, smiling face flashed through his mind as he tripped over a root and almost face planted into the ground. He steadied himself on a tree and pushed off as he heard the sound of dogs behind him, growls and barks echoing through the chilling night air. He stumbled again and dropped to the ground tears clouding his vision as his hand reached for something to pull himself up. A loud yell close by made him get up and run, tripping and falling into a shallow ditch. A hand clapped over his mouth as he went to let out a scream of pain.

“Shut up or they’ll hear us”, the stranger whispered as a dog ran past above their heads. The sound of boots slowing and stopping above them made Roman’s heart stop for a second. He was sure the man above could hear his heart as it began to accelerate and beat wildly. The sound of a yell and heavy footsteps running away was enough to make Roman lose all feeling in his legs. He looked over at the person that had helped him, the figure only an outline in the darkness. He couldn’t see their face, but the beckoning gesture was something he could see and understand. He followed silently as they walked away from the small outcropping and through the forest. 

Roman followed in silence, still afraid for his life. He watched the back of his saviour and squinted as they approached a dim light. The light grew and Roman had to close his eyes as he was blinded by it. He opened them slowly and looked at the small cabin his saviour had brought him to. Mostly wood with some stone here and there for support. It looked cosy compared to the large halls of the castle he was accustomed to. The door opened and the pair was drenched in warmth as someone appeared at the door. 

“Anxiety, you’re back. Who’s this? I thought you were only going out to get dinner?”, the man questioned. Anxiety, Roman heard him say, a weird name, but who was he to question the man who had saved his life. 

“He was being chased by some royal guards, hurt himself falling into the devil’s ditch”, Anxiety said as he walked inside, slinging a pair of dead rabbits off his shoulder from under his dark cloak. Now Roman had a chance to properly look at them he found they couldn’t be more different. Anxiety had dark circles under his eyes reminiscent of his father the day he had died. A long black cloak, ripped at the edges with a hood to cover his face during winter, adorned his shoulders. The other man wore lighter colours, faded blue and cream, a rarity that must have been a skin, dyed to suit his liking. 

“I apologise, but what are your names?”, Roman asked, hoping that Anxiety was just a nickname the dark looking man had picked up.

“Oh, right, sorry about that. I’m Patton, but you can call me Dad”, Patton said happily, clasping his hands together and looking at Roman.

“Anxiety”, Anxiety grunted, walking away to a corner and grabbing a sharp knife to skin the rabbits.

“And what’s your name?”, Patton asked.

“I…uh…Roman, you can call me Roman”, Roman said, suddenly uncomfortable. 

“Oh, like the prince? That’s so cool you two have the same name”, Patton said, clapping his hands in happiness.

“Patton, firewood please”, Anxiety said, glaring at the other man.

“Okie dokie”, Patton said, grabbing a cloak and walking out the door to get some firewood.

“Look, I know you’re the prince and all, but try to be a little less of an egotistical jerk while you’re staying here”, Anxiety said as he stabbed the knife into the piece of wood he had been cutting the rabbit on, looking back at Roman.

“Well, excuse me Mr Cloak and Dagger, for having personality”, Roman sputtered indignantly, folding his arms and turning his head away from Anxiety.

“Whatever”, Anxiety said, turning back to skinning his rabbits.

“I have the firewood”, Patton said happily as he entered and shut the door with his foot, dumping the wood by the fireplace.

“Great”, Anxiety murmured as he looked down at the rabbits, gathering some of the meat and skewering it on three sticks. He picked them up and walked to the fireplace, sticking the skewers into the fire to cook. Once the meat was done he pulled them out and held one out to Patton. The happy man accepted eagerly, tearing into the meat with vigour, smiling at the taste. Anxiety held one out to Roman, who took it gingerly, grimacing as Anxiety bit into his own, pulling the meat off and devouring the large chunks in seconds. Roman sighed softly and resigned himself to eating the food. He bit into the meat and chewed. He was surprised at how good it was compared to the only other food he’d eaten that day. Being only allowed to drink water and eat stale bread for two days had begun to take its toll on him. 

“You seem to be enjoying that”, Patton said, smiling at Roman as the other tore into the meat, not caring about how he looked. Roman looked up from his meal and nodded, smiling at Patton with a closed mouth, chewing as his stomach growled. Within seconds the meat was gone and Roman sighed blissfully as the warm meal filled his stomach.

“Want some more?”, Patton asked, holding his leftovers out to Roman. The prince deliberated for a second before shaking his head. He was their guest and they should be able to eat what they want without worrying about him. He had also seen Anxiety’s glare as he tentatively reached out a hand, so he assumed Anxiety would turn him out if Patton wasn’t fed properly. 

“Thank you, but I’m good now”, Roman said, biting the inside of his cheek as he watched Patton smile and begin to eat again. Patton reminded him of Logan a little. His brother could be so giving sometimes. He wished he could have explained to Logan what had happened, he deserved to say goodbye to his older brother. But perhaps it was better if Logan didn’t know about their uncle.  
Roman sighed as memories flooded his mind. Their uncle would preen and dote on Logan until his little brother was ready to become the next king, under his uncle’s control of course. His shoulders slumped as he frowned down at the floor.

“Roman, what’s wrong?”, Patton asked, looking at the other man with a concerned look.

“I- I just miss my brother a little”, Roman said softly. As true as it was, not many people knew Logan even existed. There was no way Patton would suspect him if he didn’t know about Logan. Roman eyed Anxiety’s slight glare from across the room.

“Well, why don’t you sleep on it?”, Patton asked, standing and grabbing Roman’s shoulder. “You can use my bed.”

“I’d rather sleep out here if that’s alright with you”, Roman said as he looked into the fire, memories flashing through his mind.

“Okay then”, Patton said softly, leaving the room to go to his own bed. Once the overly optimistic man had left Anxiety stood.

“I didn’t know you had a brother”, Anxiety said, watching as Roman turned his head to him.

“Most people forget Logan was even born”, Roman said sneering at the man. “He grew up in the library while I trained in all the other aspects.”

“So, he’s the smart one”, Anxiety said, smirking as Roman grimaced and turned back to the fire.

“I guess, so”, Roman muttered, wishing he were ten again and playing with nine-year-old Logan in the courtyard.

“Must be nice”, Anxiety said, watching as Roman turned to him again.

“What?”, Roman spat out, annoyed that the conversation had lasted longer than he was used to.

“Living in the castle, royal dinners, dancing, meeting people”, Anxiety mumbled, leaning against the wall and watching the other with half lidded eyes. Roman huffed a bitter laugh.

“Not as nice as you think. You want to know why I’m being chased?”, Roman asked and Anxiety lifted an eyebrow.

“Sure”, Anxiety said, leaning off the wall a little to hear Roman’s tale more clearly.

“My uncle, Benedict the Great, he’s a Duke and is…was, very jealous of my father. My father’s birthday was coming up and I walked in on my uncle poisoning him in his bed. He tried to get rid of me by sticking me up in the tower until I escaped. He convinced everyone that I was the one that poisoned my father, a ridiculous notion I might add, and now everyone is after me and hates me. I was able to escape and I ran into you during my escape. I can only assume that he will try to either kill Logan or he will use Logan as a puppet king since his coronation is next year now I’m out of the way.” 

Anxiety tensed as memories of his own childhood resurfaced, Roman watched as the other grimaced and met his eyes with a cold stare. 

“I know you’re a prince, I guess you deserve to know who you’re rooming with”, he said in a quiet voice, scratching the side of his nose. “Patton’s the owner of this cabin. He has a long, tangled past so I won’t explain it, take too long to get all the details straight and I think he has the right to explain it all himself. I’m…well, I was an assassin, for hire. I worked for whoever offered the highest bid for my services before I killed whoever couldn’t...lift the price.”

“You’re…you’re an assassin”, Roman asked softly, paling at the thought.

“Was. Not anymore. I left that behind when I got caught up in a royal family’s affairs. Left that life and didn’t look back. Ran into Patton and he offered shelter to me. I felt guilty so I made a deal with him. I stay here in exchange for chopping wood, killing and skinning rabbits and game, and I occasionally go into society and gather information, sell some things, get money for us to live off, do odd…jobs”, Anxiety said, rubbing his nose before turning to the doorway that led off to where Patton had gone. “You may want to consider getting a job in a couple of months until then you can do the wood chopping and gathering the water. I say a few months because by then people in smaller villages may have forgotten what you look like, make it easier to find work. And borrow my cloak if you need, those clothes won't get you too far without being noticed.”

“Will do”, Roman muttered as he looked into the fireplace, contemplating his new life with the two strangers.


	2. Coronations and Assassins (a.k.a. Obligatory Time Skip)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's heat things up a bit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, about updates, here's the deal; I can upload for the 15th, but you won't get another chapter until the 18th or 19th. You guys cool with that? Cool.

Since Roman’s departure into the woods and his subsequent rescue within said woods courtesy of Anxiety and Patton, the three have led a normal life. After many months Roman felt comfortable enough to show his face in a small village, soon becoming the bartender within the village’s tavern due to his charm. Anxiety visited him often at the tavern, checking for work around the village, hard labor mostly. Patton mostly stayed in the cabin, tending to vegetables, sewing quilts and practicing some medical techniques. It was only a year or so after Roman’s disappearance that the coronation was announced.

A bell tolled and a trumpet sounded. Roman put down the mug he had been filling in favor of watching his customers scuttle out the door and into the street. A hand grabbed his arm and he was pulled out the front door and into the streets with the rest of the village.

“Excuse me! I have a declaration from his majesty the king’s regent”, a man on a horse stated, unrolling a piece of parchment as the crowd murmured with excitement and suspense. “The King’s regent has proposed a coronation for Prince Logan of Ashwood. He will be crowned in two weeks and all are invited to witness it.”

The man stopped and rolled up the scroll, looking at the crowd as murmurs broke out once again.

“What about Prince Roman of Ashwood?”, a lanky man piped up from the back. “He’s the crown prince, shouldn’t he be the next king?”

“Prince Roman is…no longer with us”, the man said, guiding his horse around and galloping off in the direction of the next closest village. Once he had disappeared the crowd began to disperse. Roman walked back to the tavern, his legs guiding him on the familiar path as his mind raced. His brother was to be king and his uncle would rule the country. He swallowed at the thought of the bastard man touching the crown, placing it on his filthy head as Logan was forced to stay silent.  
The doors opened as Roman walked to his position and began to numbly clean his bar and mugs, not even looking up when a hand slammed down on the counter. It was the hand on Roman’s ram the shook him out of it. Roman looked up into Anxiety’s cold eyes and turned around to grab a medium-hard liquor. He swiftly poured a glass and tapped it twice on the bar signaling its arrival to the other who had turned around and was eyeing the doors.

“Something wrong?”, Roman asked softly turning his head to the doors and leaning on the bar on his forearms. 

“Saw guards pull up outside, not sure what they’re here for”, Anxiety mumbled, taking a long drink from his glass before pulling it away and staring down at the liquid.

“Sounds like trouble”, Roman muttered, standing up properly and turning to his cupboards, pushing his good, hard liquor to the back before closing them and turning back to Anxiety.

“Yeah, I hear it comes in pairs”, Anxiety murmured, gesturing a little to the door as two men, tall and build, decked in royal armor walked in and sat down heavily at the bar. Laughter echoed as the guards began to talk and joke. Roman listened to them for a little while before practicing a smile and putting his best one on. After a little nod from Anxiety, he walked to the pair and asked if they had any orders. 

“Two of your hardest and finest”, the one with a lion on his breastplate laughed, slamming two gold coins don on the bar. Roman nodded and walked off to gather what he needed. He moved to the space in between his housemate and the guards, listening to their chatter as he made their drinks.

“I heard that the other prince was responsible for King Ashwood’s death and that he tried to decapitate his brother”, the other, with a bear on his breastplate, said cackling maniacally at the idea.

“Well, I heard that little Logan was the one that offed his own dad”, Lion said, grinning. Roman growled under his breath at the pet name given to his younger brother. Anxiety glanced at him and lifted an eyebrow. Roman snorted softly and Anxiety shook his head. After a few minutes Anxiety got up and left to search for odd jobs again and Roman was left to tend to the rowdy guests himself.

“I heard that Prince Roman’s still alive and out for revenge against little Logan”, Bear said, grinning from ear to ear as Roman placed the drinks down and turned to clean Anxiety’s mug.

“I heard that it was Roman that sent all those assassins after Logan”, Lion said, downing his drink.

“Well, I heard, from a reliable source, that another’s going to…take care of little Logan at his coronation”, Bear said, making a throat-slitting gesture and Roman stilled, eyes wide with fear.

“Yeah, and who’s this reliable source?”, Lion asked, lifting an eyebrow.

“Doesn’t matter, all that matters is that when little Logan dies his uncle gets the throne and we all get a raise”, Bear laughed, Lion joining his quickly. The pair laughed until closing time and Roman shoved them out towards the inn. He jogged back to the cabin and slammed the door open.

“Roman? What’s wrong?”, Patton asked from his chair by the fire.

“Is Anxiety here?”, Roman asked, breathing unevenly from his run.

“He will be soon”, Patton said, confused as Roman slumped into the chair and grabbed his head. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing you should have to worry about. If it’s true then...”, Roman murmured as he felt sleep overcome him.

“Roman, wake up, dinner”, a cold voice said. Roman opened his eyes to look at Anxiety. He glanced around the room and noticed Patton had vacated it.

“Patton?”, Roman questioned and Anxiety looked towards the fire.

“Asleep. Couldn’t wake you, so he ate and left”, Anxiety said, turning his attention back to Roman. “Said you had to talk to me.”

“Oh, right”, Roman said standing. Anxiety stood and watched as Roman walked a few steps away. Roman turned and looked at Anxiety, he felt a strange anger fill him. He had spent so much time here while his little brother could have been killed and he’d never have known. The more he looked at Anxiety, the more he felt his anger grow until the fire burst into an inferno. He didn’t remember grabbing Anxiety’s neck or shoving him up against the cabin wall. He didn’t remember the fury he had felt. The first thing he remembered was Anxiety grabbing his upper arm in an attempt to snap him out of it.

“Roman”, Anxiety said as calmly as he could with his air supply partially cut off. “Please release me.”

“You knew. You must have. You knew my brother was getting targeted by assassins. You’re an assassin. You probably tried to kill him, didn’t you? Who hired you? Who hired you?!”, Roman yelled at Anxiety, his expression showing complete fury. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about”, Anxiety yelled back, regretting it as he was pushed farther up the wall and his air supply got lower. He could see the black dots dancing across his vision and he tried to hold back tears of pain.

“Liar! Who’s going after my brother?!”, Roman yelled, face a picture of hatred. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about!”, Anxiety screamed down at Roman. Roman dropped him and fell to his knees as Anxiety breathed heavily, trying to get as much air back into his lungs as possible.

“You…you had to have known…you’re an assassin”, Roman said with a trembling voice. 

“Roman, I don’t know who is trying to kill Logan…I just…”, Anxiety sighed, he bit his lip and thought about what to say. “If I tell you a secret you have to promise you will not tell a soul. Not Patton, not anyone in the village, not even animals or anything. What I’m about to tell you is top secret. Do you swear you will never tell another living soul what I am about to tell you?”

Roman nodded in confirmation, “I swear by everything I stand for.”

“Okay then…I’m your brother’s bodyguard. He doesn’t know I am and I don’t get paid anything for it. I…I used to be an assassin, you know that, but I stopped…properly stopped when I was hired to kill your brother about four years ago. I couldn’t do it and I was ridiculed for my weakness. Those royal family affairs I told you about were your own. Your Uncle wanted to get rid of your brother so he hired me to do it. When I couldn’t he tried to hunt me down. I knew he’d try again and I couldn’t let that happen. So, I’ve been looking over your brother from the shadows. If anyone was to find out they’d go after you, Patton, the whole village just to make me stop what I’ve been doing. Keeping your brother safe from the other assassins…it…it means the world to me. But the others would use the people I care about as leverage to make me stop so they could kill him. I just...I need you to keep this secret, you understand why now, right?”

Roman blinked and stared at Anxiety. His mind was blank. He’d know this man for just over a year, but before that he’d been keeping his brother safe for at least three years prior. He could feel tears welling up as he clamped a hand down on Anxiety’s shoulder.

“Thank you”, He murmured as the tears came, leaving red marks in their wake.

“It’s the best I could do”, Anxiety murmured back, looking down at the ground. “I’ve killed so many innocent people. Your brother was my breaking point.”

Roman chuckled dryly, “Sure you haven’t fallen in love?”

“Certain, assassins don’t feel love. That’s our one power and one weakness.”


	3. Hello, I'm your guardian angel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prince talks to the shadows and the shadows talk back.

Logan felt his eyes droop lower and lower as he studied the page for the seventh time that night. He couldn’t seem to retain any information, no matter how hard he tried. He wondered if he had been imagining the shadows moving or if they were as they were supposed to be. He sighed and closed the book, pushing in away from him as he stood and stretched. He felt his bones crack lightly and the tension began to ebb. He picked his way through the book piles and towards his door. He checked one more that the guards were there and that his door was locked. He walked over to his bed and laid down, feeling the dagger under his pillow shift as he put his weight on it. He let his eyes close for a second before he heard something fall. He opened his eyes quickly and stared at the shadows surrounding his room. He bit his lip and blinked a few times, wishing that Roman was with him. His older brother had always been the strong, brave, fierce protector of the family. Always looking out for his younger brother and taking blame where he could. Logan for the most part was well mannered, quiet, reserved and above all not a trouble maker. The few times something had gone wrong it was almost immediately swept away due to his natural code of ethics and good behaviour. 

A sound from the other side of the room made him curl in on himself, scared of every flicker of shadow or light that he came across. He knew there were assassins after him, he also knew that he had a guardian angel who seemed to protect him in place of his older brother. He bit his lip harder and hoped he was imagining the movement in the shadows. 

 

Anxiety sighed. It had taken him too long to get back to the castle. He silently made his way up the outer wall and over to the younger prince’s bedroom. He spied another shadow below him trying to get up to the prince’s room. He almost laughed at the others pitiful attempt to climb the wall to the window. He tore his eyes away from the man below and moved into Logan’s room, keeping himself at a distance from the prince, taking his place in the shadows. He looked down and grabbed his daggers ready for another kill, but almost dropped them when Logan spoke.

“Who are you and who sent you?”

Anxiety looked at the prince with wide eyes. The young man had sneaked up on him and now had a dagger in his face. Anxiety breathed heavily. What was it with this family and their personal space? Did they not get how it worked or did they just like torturing him?

“I…be quiet”, Anxiety cut himself off as the clumsy assassin finally latched onto the edge of the prince’s window. Logan turned lightly and looked at the assassin. Anxiety watched, amazed as Logan made his way silently across to the assassin and held the dagger up to the man’s neck, he looked back at Anxiety as if to ask if he should slit the man’s throat. Anxiety walked over and grabbed the man’s neck, choking him into unconsciousness, he’d deal with him later.

“Now, tell me”, Logan said turning his dagger on the other. Anxiety held his hands up in surrender and gave the prince the same little smug smile that Roman used. “Oh, so Roman sent you.”

Anxiety felt his eyes widen at that and watched as Logan turned and sat down on his bed, hiding the dagger under his pillow. “How’d you...”

“People tend to mimic my brother after spending a long time with him. If he sent you to…kill me…don't tell me and just get it over with”, Logan said, sighing softly and resigning himself to the same fate as many before him.

“What? No! I mean, no. First, your brother didn’t send me. Second, I’m not here to kill you”, Anxiety said, watching as Logan looked up at him with a blank expression. 

“So, you’re the one who’s been protecting me from the shadows?”

“How’d you…how do you know about all of this?”

“Books, mostly. I also would never have survived all the attacks, one or two maybe, but never the onslaught I’ve been getting since my father died.”

“You learned all that from books?”

“Well, that and observing. You’re not the first assassin I’ve seen at work and you won’t be the last.”

“You knew I was here and was able to maneuver to me so quietly I didn’t even hear you. You did not learn that from observing or books. So, who taught you?”

“I taught myself. I've spent enough time in here I’ve become accustomed to the layout and can move quickly and quietly.”

“I still don’t believe you taught yourself all of that.”

“Believe whatever you will. I didn’t have a mentor like Roman.”

“Yeah, he doesn’t talk much about you, but he said you spent most of you time in the library.”

“He’s alive?”, Logan asked tentatively, hopefully. The look he gave the Anxiety hurt.

“Yeah, he’s a bartender over in Maidenbrook. He lives with me and my friend. I helped him escape some guards a year or so ago.”

“Thank you. Thank you for taking care of him. I doubt he would have been able to get that far without intervention.”

“I didn’t do much. His charm keeps the customers rolling in and staying around until they run out of money.”

Logan chuckled softly and pulled his knees up to his chest. “Sounds like my brother alright.”

“He was…upset when he found out about the assassin attempts. He blamed me, thought I was one of your attackers.”

“Ah, sorry about that. He can be…protective and he assumes a lot more than he should.”

“It’s fine. We cleared it all up.”

“It’s just…he can be so…argh, I just miss him…you know. I wish…I wish I could see him again. You live with him, could you…take me with you?”

“Uh, no. No, no, no, no, no. You are staying here, I’m getting rid of your assassin and I’m leaving to check on my friend and your brother.”

The pair were quiet for a while as Anxiety began to tie the other assassin up and move to the window. 

“If you can’t take me with you, could you…could you at least tell him I said hello and that I miss him?”

Anxiety sighed softly, this kid would be the death of him.

“Fine, but you have to stay here and keep out of trouble.”

“You’ll be back tomorrow though…right?”

“Scared you’ll have another visitor?”

“No…”, Logan said softly as Anxiety stood on his window sill and pushed a rope out down the side with his foot. “I…I’m scared to be alone.”

Anxiety stopped and turned slowly, looking at the other man. He bit his lip hard and forced himself to put a hand on the rope leading down.

“I’m sorry, but I have to go. I’ll…I’ll be back as soon as possible. Don’t worry.”

“What’s your name?”, Logan asked, the question catching Anxiety off guard.

“Call me Anxiety.”

“Thank you, Anxiety”, Logan murmured in a small voice. Anxiety walked off the ledge, holding the rope and propelling himself down. He’d be hard pressed to find someone else that could twist him around their little finger like Logan could.


	4. You're Anx-identally in Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Why does Anxiety have a problem with the youngest prince getting married?
> 
> (puns <3)

“Your brother is one manipulative kid”, Anxiety muttered as he entered the cabin and looked across to Roman. 

“Ah”, Roman said smiling, “he always got what he wanted. If he wanted me to play with him everyone dropped everything so they could make it happen. He’s so beloved by all the staff, they’d kill anyone who tampered with him. Heck, I’d kill anyone my brother fell in love with if they hurt him.”

Anxiety gripped the collar of his cloak and pulled slightly, he suddenly felt as if there wasn’t enough air in the room. 

“Well, I can assure you no one will harm him while I’m watching him”, Anxiety said, walking over to the prince and sitting down by the fireplace.

“You’d better hope not”, Roman murmured as something dark flickered in his eyes. Anxiety felt a shiver crawl up his spine and he grimaced slightly at Roman’s threat. 

“I’ve been protecting him for years. Not once have I slipped up and your father only died because I was out taking care of your brother that night”, Anxiety said, looking towards the fire. Shadows danced on the walls as the light flickered. Roman gave the fire a small smile and sighed. One day he’d be reunited with Logan. He just hoped that the day wouldn’t be Logan’s death day. 

 

“I’m off to the tavern. Anxiety, are you coming?”, Roman asked as he slipped on the worn-out cloak. He’d only need it for the slight chill of the early morning, the tavern wasn’t so far away that he’d require a thicker cloak. 

“I have business to attend to in another village”, Anxiety murmured, stalking past Roman and out the door after taking some left-over food. 

“Good luck!”, Patton yelled happily as he sat down by the fire, pulling out a few pieces of cloth and beginning to sew them into a quilt. 

“Well, I’m off. Goodbye, Patton”, Roman said as he exited the cabin, Patton’s cheerful ‘Goodbye’ following him as he went. 

 

Roman leaned heavily against the cabinets of the tavern. It was barely noon and he was already tired. He yawned and listened to the customers' chatter about little things like the coronation and the wedding. Wait, wedding? Roman stopped and turned to a group of people sitting only a few feet away from the bar. He glanced around before leaning on the bar and trying to get closer. He preoccupied his hands with cleaning a mug as he listened to the chatter. 

“So, what do you think?”, one whispered to the others, silver hair flicked back with a wave of his hand.

“I don’t think that Prince Logan will allow himself to be tied down by a foreigner”, the redhead said, taking a sip from his drink as the brunette nodded softly in agreement. 

“That’s the thing though. If we want peace with the other nations he’ll have to marry a foreigner to keep that peace”, the silver-haired one said, leaning back in his chair and throwing a hand over the back of it. 

“Do you even know what country the foreigner would be from?”, another brunette asked the silver-haired man, slamming his mug down on the table. 

“Probably Scor or Maktar, we’ve been in an uneasy peace treaty with them for so long and it’s beginning to fall apart”, the silver-haired man said, leaning in close as he eyed Roman. 

“And if he doesn’t wed, well, wouldn’t be the first time a royal ran away from his duties”, the redhead said with a sarcastic smile.

Roman almost threw the mug he had been cleaning at the group. He snorted softly and glared at them, leaning back and turning away from the group as he tossed up between starting a fight within the tavern and leaving them be. He decided to leave them alone and cursed his inability to do anything more than watch as the group left, dropping a few silver coins on the table as they went. 

Anxiety waltzed in as the group left and raised an eyebrow at Roman, who glared daggers at the group from the bar. 

“What’s up with you?”, Anxiety asked, downing his own drink swiftly as it arrived and Roman settled his elbows down on the counter. 

“Stupid patrons, stupid conversation, stupid, stupid, stupid”, Roman said angrily as he scrubbed at a mug. 

“Wanna talk about it?”, Anxiety asked, regretting it as Roman’s hate filled eyes landed on him. “Never mind.”

Roman sighed, “apparently Logan’s getting married.” 

Anxiety spat out his drink and Roman grimaced at the mess. 

“Sorry, I thought you said your brother was getting married”, Anxiety said, chuckling slightly as Roman quickly cleaned up the drink.

“I did say that”, Roman said softly, watching as Anxiety stilled. Roman raised an eyebrow at the other man waiting for him to say something.

“What!”, Anxiety yelled. Roman covered his ears, grimacing once again at the loudness of Anxiety’s yell. The other patrons turned around as Anxiety gripped his head in his hands. Roman sighed and let his shoulders drop as Anxiety scrubbed his face with his hands, groaning softly.

“Is he okay?”, one patron asked through the quiet.

“Yeah, he’s fine. I’ll take care of it, go back to your conversations”, Roman said with a small smile. The noise in the tavern resumed as Anxiety slumped and let his head bang against the counter.

“Let me guess”, Roman said, smiling slightly and leaning into look at Anxiety. “You have a crush on my brother.”

“No. Ugh, no it’s not that, I mean…well”, Anxiety mumbled, looking up at Roman who smirked down at him smugly.

“You do. You’re in love with my brother. That’s why you couldn’t kill him and why you decided to continue to protect him”, Roman said, his smirk growing as he chuckled.

“Stop it”, Anxiety growled at Roman as some patrons turned back to the pair. 

“How can I? You’re in love with my little brother”, Roman said. 

“N…no, shut up. I-I am not in love with him”, Anxiety said, fighting back the blush while trying to glare at Roman. 

“You are and that’s a fact”, Roman said, his tone smug. He stood upright as a few more men walked into the tavern. “I have customers to get drinks for, but I’m going to warn you now. If you screw up with my brother and hurt him I will slit your throat.”

Anxiety grimaced and shivered at Roman’s glare. He wasn’t in love with Logan. But why did he stay close to the young prince?


	5. Visits Always End in Heartbreak

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How well can you know a person before you don't know them?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back, did you miss me?

Logan pulled the cloak up closer around his shoulders and head. Anxiety was nowhere to be seen after the morning so he only assumed that there would be no danger. He smuggled a horse out of the stables and began on the road to Maidenbrook. He knew that both his brother and his assassin protector would kill him if they found out, but he hadn’t seen Roman for so long. He wanted an explanation, a reason, a motive for Roman’s disappearance. He didn’t buy into the idea of Roman killing their father. It didn’t sound or feel right. Sure, their father could be strict and cold, but sometimes being a king made you that way. So here he was, scared, alone and a little cold, but on his way to Maidenbrook. He just hoped Anxiety had given him the name of a real village, the right village, and not just some made up village. Otherwise, he’d never find Roman or his way home.

Logan sighed as he pulled into another village. He watched a man walk through the village. 

“Excuse me, sir. What is the name of this village?”, Logan asked, hoping that the darkness and his cloak would be enough of a disguise. The man glanced up at him, seemingly not recognising his prince. 

“Maidenbrook, stranger”, the man said, turning back on his path. 

“Where’s that tavern?”, Logan asked, smiling slightly as the man turned back around with a frown.

“That’a way”, the man said, pointing to a section of the village lit up by candles and lights. Logan nodded at the man and turned his horse in the direction of the tavern.

 

“I’d best get going, nice seeing you again Roman”, Paul said as he put a couple of silver coins on the counter and left the tavern. Roman smirked down at the mug he was washing.

“Sorry”, a voice from the front door said, accompanied by a ‘sorry’ from Paul. Roman glanced up at the hooded man who had walked in and sat down in the far corner, looking out one of the windows.

“What’ll it be?”, Roman called to him, seeing as it was only the stranger, an unconscious Anxiety and himself in the tavern. 

“Water will do”, the man said, turning to him and then back to the window. Roman smiled and got the water for the man. He walked over and placed it down on the table. The man glanced down, muttered a quiet ‘thank you’ and turned back to the window.

“Looking for something?”, Roman asked as he slumped down into a chair close to the man. 

“Brother”, the man mumbled, still looking out the window.

“What’s he like?”, Roman asked, looking out the window into the dark streets. 

“Tall, charming, protective, hates to read, loves to fight”, the man said, scratching his chin. Roman caught a flicker of a smile from underneath the cloak. 

“Anything else?”, Roman asked, feeling his heart ache as he thought of Logan.

“Bullheaded, wilful, ill-tempered in the face of danger”, the man said, looking back at Roman before grabbing the water. The man turned back to the window as Anxiety woke up.

“I’m going to see your brother”, the assassin said heavily and Roman grimaced, groaning softly. He stood and walked over to the slightly drunk assassin, grabbing his shoulder and pulling him around the counter, pushing the man into a side room and watching as the man dropped and hiccupped lightly.

“Stay here. There’s someone else here”, Roman whispered as he walked back to the man. The man had cleaned the glass of water and was on his way out. The tavern door closed and Roman listened to the sound of a horse neighing. He walked back over to the table to clear the glass to find a ruby and a sapphire. Perfectly cut to match. His ruby and Logan’s sapphire. Two sides of a whole piece. He dropped the glass and heard Anxiety ask if he was okay. He didn’t reply as he raced out the door. He watched as his brother and the horse rode away out of the village. He looked around and spotted a horse. He quickly untied it as Anxiety burst out the door calling his name. Roman felt the adrenaline pulsing through his veins as he raced the horse out of the village in an attempt to catch his brother. He could see the horse and rider on the next hill over. He pulled the horse off the track and onto a shortcut. Pushing the steed through the underbrush as he chased Logan. He pulled out just in front of his brother and pulled his horse back as his brother did the same. 

The two looked at each other, eyes wide neither noticing as Anxiety pulled up behind Roman on his own horse.

“Logan?”, Roman asked watching as his brother pulled the hood of his cloak off.

“It’s good to see you again, brother”, Logan replied, smiling softly at Roman. Roman grinned back at his brother before he realised where they were and his grin turned to a frown.

“You shouldn’t be here. You could have been mugged by bandits”, Roman said, watching his brother with disapproval in his eyes.

“I needed to know you were alright”, Logan said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head with one of his hands. 

“How did you even know where to go?”, Roman asked.

“Your assassin friend told me”, Logan replied simply.

“He what!?”, Roman yelled as he turned back, finally noticing Anxiety behind him. “You told him where to go!? He could have been killed or worse!?”

“Brother, I’m fine. I rode under the cover of darkness. No one at the castle even knows I’m gone”, Logan said, regretting it as Roman turned on him. 

“Then no one would know to look for you if you did disappear!”, his brother yelled. Logan shivered and flinched back at his brother’s anger. He looked down and fidgeted with the reigns on his horse. 

“I’m sorry”, Logan whispered, feeling guilt seep through him.

“Ah, Logan…I-…I didn’t mean to yell at you…I’m just, I’m sorry”, Roman said softly, at his brother’s dejected and fallen expression. 

“It’s alright. I just…I just have to get back to the castle. It was good to see you again brother”, Logan said as he pulled his horse off the road and pushed it into a trot back to the castle.

“Logan! I- I really am sorry! I-I, uh…just, go with him”, Roman said as he turned to Anxiety. “Make sure he makes it back okay.”

“Sure”, Anxiety said softly as he took off after Logan, keeping his distance from the other prince. Roman sighed and pushed his horse into walking back to the tavern. He tied it up and walked back inside to play with the gems. 

 

“He really can be so pig headed at times”, Logan muttered. “Don’t you think so?”

Anxiety started, not realising that Logan knew he was being followed. The assassin swallowed lightly and pulled his horse up to walk next to Logan’s.

“I suppose…he’s just looking out for you”, Anxiety said softly, watching as Logan sighed and allowed his shoulders to slump. 

“I know”, he said softly as the pair fell into silence. Anxiety stared at the crown prince, gently nipping at his bottom lip in contemplation. Roman knew he had the tiniest, most minuscule of crushes on his little brother. But how would Logan take it? Would he still trust Anxiety to keep him safe, or would he push him away? Anxiety inwardly groaned feelings were so complex sometimes. 

Logan looked over at his riding companion. Anxiety’s blank, distant expression was beginning to worry Logan. He’d never seen his guardian angel with such a blank look on his face. Logan kept quiet though. He didn’t want to make Anxiety angry, he could smell a tinge of alcohol in the air around Anxiety and knew better than to say anything about it. He’d been told from a young age that he knew nothing of tact, always the smartass, always the blabber mouth. He’d never been able to share wisdom without being labelled as a kid who didn’t know anything. His suggestions were often ignored in favour of someone older, but not strictly, wiser. 

He sighed softly and relaxed into the saddle, closing his eyes until his horse reared up. He grabbed at the horse’s mane to steady himself and looked down at three men approached the pair on horseback, running with daggers and pistols drawn. Of course, he’d encounter bandits. Logan swung himself off his horse and drew his own twin set of daggers, leaving his pistol on his belt. He quickly disarmed the men with grace and finesse. He grabbed the daggers and twirled one of them around on his open palm. He smiled softly at the workout and walked back to his horse, swiftly mounting once more and setting off. 

Anxiety stared at the prince’s back with wide eyes. Had he known the prince could defend himself, yes. He did not expect the prince to singlehandedly disarm three bandits, taller and stronger than the Logan. He had watched stupefied as Logan did what he did. He couldn’t even move or act as fast as the young prince had in the face of the threat. He was supposed to be protecting Logan from those sorts of thing, wasn’t he? Instead, here he was watching as the prince drew further and further away from him on horseback. 

Anxiety finally snapped out of his trance and raced his horse away to catch the prince. Once he drew up alongside Logan he noticed how indifferent Logan seemed after disarming the men. It was as if he wasn’t in the least bit remorseful in any way. Anxiety fought off the cold shiver that climbed up his spine. Royals sure were as cold as people came. 

 

The pair rounded the last turn to the castle and Anxiety felt for the first time that he was unprepared to enter the castle. He swallowed a stubborn lump as the neared the gates. He watched as a guard looked out at them and he shifted nervously in the saddle. 

“Logan”, the guard spoke to the prince in an even tone, kind and cold at the same time. 

“Joan”, Logan replied in the same tone. “Terrance asleep again?”

“You know he is”, the guard said, opening the gates for Logan.

“See you in the morning”, Logan said as he began to walk his horse through the gate.

“Ah, where do you think you’re going?”, Joan asked as Anxiety made his way forward. The guard pulled their poleaxe up to block Anxiety’s entry.

“With him”, Anxiety said as if it were obvious, pointing in Logan’s direction. The prince had stopped his horse to look back at Anxiety.

“Ah, no. You see…you’re not royal and you haven’t been invited in, so no, you are not going with the prince”, Joan said, glaring up at Anxiety through their helmet. 

“Joan’s right. Go home, Anxiety. I’ll see you tomorrow”, Logan said as he turned back on his horse and began to walk away. “And tell my brother that I expect more of a warm welcome next time I visit.” 

Anxiety growled under his breath. “I’ll tell him what I like”, he muttered as he gave Joan a glare and turned on his way.

 

“He expects more of a warm welcome next time he comes”, Anxiety said, before berating himself for delivering the message. Roman huffed as he sank down into the chair more and drank the last of his water, gripping the ruby and sapphire in his closed fist tightly. He groaned a little as Anxiety sat down next to him by the fire, grabbing a small bowl of stew Patton had left out for him.

“We’ll see him sooner than he thinks”, Roman grumbled lightly, dropping the ruby into his lap in favour of holding the sapphire up to the light of the fire and looking through it. The world fell into a blue hue and Roman sighed at the sight of the cool colour enveloping all things around him. Logan really was like the sapphire. His view of the world was cold but beautiful. Roman thought of the ruby as a perfect representation of himself. Seeing the world as beautiful, but always so passionate and ready for a fight. He had always been a little too fond of bloodshed when it came to defending his brother. Together they were beautiful, bathing the world in their shared perspectives and differences. They made each other strong, but they were each other’s weakness. 

Anxiety cleared his throat and Roman turned his eyes to the cloak clad man. “You were saying?”

“We’ll see him sooner than he thinks. His coronation is in a few days and if I know my uncle he’ll make sure that if Logan isn’t dead by then, he will be by his wedding day”, Roman finished, lazily rubbing the pad of his thumb over the gem’s cool surface. Sapphires were always so cold to the touch, like his brother. So cold, until Roman could warm him up.

“I’ll stay at the castle overnight tomorrow, see if Patton is willing to let go I'll be away from the cabin for a while before I hunker down in the castle. Can’t have some lousy assassin mess up your brother’s coronation now, can we?”, Anxiety asked his rhetorical question hanging in the air as he stood and walked away to his room to sleep. Roman hummed and dug out a piece of cloth. He wrapped the gems up and tied a piece of lone string around the bundle. He tied the ends of the string together around his neck and sank further into the chair. He let his eyes drift closed as he played with the pouch around his neck.


	6. Royal Protector

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> New clothes? Yes, please. New weapons? Definitely. New title? Pass.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, someone asked me how old the boys are meant to be. Pretty good question so here's the answer for anyone who wants to know: Patton = 23-25, Anxiety = 22-24, Roman = 20-22, (Little) Logan = 18-20

Logan sighed as the tailor shuffled around him in circles. His arms were getting tired and his legs hurt from standing too long on the pedestal. He had practiced holding the items and gaining the crown. He had listened to the speech and practiced his smile until his cheeks hurt. He felt the pit of worry grown in his stomach as the tailor sewed away at his coronation robes. He knew now he had no time to visit his brother. He’d have even more trouble after the coronation. And don’t get him started on the stupid wedding. He wasn’t engaged or even seeing anyone, not yet anyway. But if his uncle had any say in the business he’d have a bride by the next full moon, which was at least seventeen days away. Logan felt his muscles cramp slightly and held back a pained cry as the tailor accidentally pinched him through the fabric. This coronation couldn’t be over soon enough. 

The days went by so fast and Logan struggled to stay afloat. He was happy he didn’t have to worry about assassins, but he was so tired he felt dead on his feet. He had seen Anxiety once or twice in the shadows giving him a concerned and worried look, or as concerned and worried as once can be with such a blank look on one’s face.

Logan had never drawn attention to the assassination attempts, but he had been gaining some odd looks from the guards in the room as he watched Anxiety, the other glaring as the tailor made Logan flinch in the pain of having his leg stabbed by the needle for not staying still enough. Anxiety blushed a little and turned his head to the side as the tailor said he was done and handed Logan his clothes back. Logan stripped off the robe and handed it off to the tailor for alterations before he pulled on his pants. Anxiety looked back and felt his face flush once more at the upper section of Logan’s body. Logan quickly pulled his shirt on and boots to match. He said a small farewell and thank you to the tailor before walking swiftly out the door, guards, and Anxiety following his every move with their eyes, walking quietly behind him. It was as Logan rounded the corner, disappearing for a second that disaster struck. Logan yelped and the three heard a clash of metal on metal. The guards bolted around the corner, Anxiety moving swiftly ahead of them. His heart stopped at the sight of a dagger cutting through the air, inches away from cutting the prince’s neck. He felt anger bubble under his skin and in his stomach. How dare someone try to hurt the prince, in broad daylight no less. Anxiety ran forward to attack the assassin, not listening to the gasps from the guards and Logan’s grunt of appreciation. Anxiety quickly took care of the dagger and the man, rendering the attacker unconscious before he turned on the prince and guards. 

“A thank you would be nice”, Anxiety said, smirking at Logan as the others face broke out in a smile. 

“Thank you for disrupting my practice, o mighty guardian angel of mine”, Logan said, smiling as he spoke, tone laced with sarcasm. 

“Wait, that was practice?”, Anxiety asked a confused look on his face as he looked back at the attacker. 

“Yes. I require the training due to the high level of attacks I’ve been receiving. But thank you anyway for rendering my teacher unable to teach”, Logan smiled smugly as Anxiety sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. 

“I thought he was just some peasant who helped you when you got lost last night”, a voice said and Joan sneered softly at Anxiety

“So, this is the man you said visited and tried to enter the castle. You didn’t tell me he was helping little Logan”, the other guard said, and Anxiety turned his head to the other guard. 

“Tell anyone I was here and you’ll both be dead before morning”, Anxiety growled, glaring at the two guards and twirling the ‘attackers’ dagger around in his palm. 

“Well, threatening people isn’t very nice. Here’s an idea, since you're helping little Logan, we let you borrow some guard robes and you follow our prince around like a bodyguard. Sound good?”, the other guard suggested, smiling at Anxiety. 

“I can’t believe you’re making me dress up like one of you”, Anxiety grumbled, rubbing his face with his hands. 

“We’re not, it’s just a suggestion”, the guard said happily. 

“How about no?”, Anxiety said, growling at how ecstatic the other guard was. Joan grumbled lightly and Logan smirked a little.

“How about yes? You can walk around the castle more easily and keep a closer eye on me”, Logan said, grinning as Anxiety turned to him a look of horror on his face.

“You can’t be serious”, Anxiety groaned, watching as Logan’s grin disappeared and the other frowned.

“I’m always serious about these sorts of things”, Logan said, glancing past Anxiety at the two guards, who snickered at Anxiety’s distress. 

“Terrance, Joan”, Logan said and the two snapped to attention. “Could you escort our new guard to the guards changing quarters and get him some clothing and armor.”

Terrance smiled at Anxiety as he grabbed one of Anxiety’s arms, Joan grinning evilly as they took the other arm and Anxiety yelped as they dragged him away down the hall. Logan sighed and smiled as he pushed and pulled the unconscious man up against the wall. He smiled as he began to walk away. He had studies to do now, hopefully, the others would catch up with him in his room.

 

“This is so stupid”, Anxiety growled as he struggled with the heavy breastplate that most guards wore under their clothes. He had tried multiple sets of clothes on for the duo. The guards had left him alone to pick out an outfit, but they were stationed outside of the room. There were no windows or holes so he couldn’t escape. He shrugged off the last of the armour and glamorous cloth, gold and light blue as was custom for palace guards. He sighed and sat down heavily. Terrance and Joan must have heard him because the two opened the door and looked in at the dark clad man.

“There is one last outfit we could try. You might not like this one though, it’s really old, but we can get someone to update it for you”, Terrance said as he disappeared and reappeared with a bundle of fabric and leather. He deposited the bundle in front of Anxiety and scurried out, quietly chatting with Joan as the other guard asked about the outfit.

Anxiety held up the robe and straps. They seemed to be designed to hold weapons close to his body. He strapped the leather onto his body and smirked. He Looked down at the cloak that came with it. Dark, navy blue mixed with grey from the age of it. He could see that there had once been gold trim along the edges of the coat, lining the cuffs and bottom, leading from bottom of it upwards to the hood, but not on the hood. The trim seemed to have faded as badly as the rest, greyed out heavily with almost no yellow to it at all. Anxiety liked it. He picked it up and flung it on not noticing something that clanged loudly to the floor when Anxiety freed it from the confines of the coat. Anxiety looked over at the pair of twin swords that lay on the ground now. They were thin, long, and after picking them up he found them light as well.  
Anxiety smiled as he ran a hand over the swords covers. He slid them into the sides of his new belt and attached them where they fit. He tugged at them to make sure they were secure before slowly drawing them. He sighed at the singing of the metal as it was pulled from its sheath. He tossed one of them into the air lightly and caught the handle once more. The handle didn’t curve like other swords that were made like this. These swords were made for dual wielding, able to be used in both hands in case the wielder lost their grip, on one hand, had to switch to his or her dominant hand. Perfectly weighted and not too fancy, the swords were flawless in his eyes. He pushed one back into its sheath and looked over the other, checking for rust and bluntness. He’d have to sharpen them, but Logan wouldn’t mind if he used them, right? No, Logan wouldn’t mind. 

Anxiety smiled and pulled the hood over his head, covering his face in darkness. He waltzed over to the door and opened it, smiling at the shocked faces of Terrance and Joan. 

“Not bad, huh?”, Anxiety said, smirking as he put his hands on his hips.

“Well, let’s just hope that no one sees you”, Joan bit out, turning to glare at Terrance before they stalked away to find their prince.

“What’s so bad about these clothes?”, Anxiety asked, turning to Terrance and eyeing the man with curiosity.

“Well, you see…uh, those clothes are from the bodyguard of the previous princess. She was wonderful, but her parents died at her bodyguard’s hand, or so they say. To see another bodyguard around here in the same clothing with the same weaponry may cause a bit of a stir”, Terrance said, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly. Anxiety bit his lip and mulled it over, pulling his hood down so he could scratch at his head.

“So, what now? These are the most comfortable and easiest to move in of all the outfits you two gave me to try on”, Anxiety said, feeling a little overwhelmed by the fact he may be classed a traitor to the crown on looks alone.

“I can put any rumours to rest I hear and I can assure you Joan will do the same, they’re like that, but I can’t be certain that Logan’s uncle will allow you to stay. His nephew may soon be king, but he will do everything in his power to get rid of you”, Terrance said, turning and beginning to walk away. He turned his head back and beckoned for Anxiety to follow. “Well, come on. You haven’t go all of his gear.”

Anxiety smiled and followed the other man down the corridor to get the rest of his gear. 

 

“I’m home”, Anxiety muttered as he entered the cabin, slamming the door shut and glancing between Patton and Roman as they sat by the fire eating.

“About time”, Roman said huffily, tearing into another piece of rabbit. 

“Sorry, I had to take care of…things”, Anxiety said as he sat down and pulled his hood down. He’d talk to Roman once Patton left for bed. He needed to know more about this supposed killer, whose clothes he was wearing. 

“Any left?”, Anxiety grunted, kicking off his boots and dropping the large sack of new gear he had carried in. 

“You can have some of mine”, Patton said, holding out his left-over rabbit. Anxiety glanced down at the rabbit, his stomach rumbling quietly. He dearly wanted to take the rabbit and eat what was offered to him. He looked at Patton and fought back the urge. 

“No, no. Eat up. I’ll go out hunting in a bit and get some more”, Anxiety said, a soft smile on his face as he looked at Patton. The other looked down at his food guiltily before beginning to eat again with smaller bites, chewing it longer than normal.

“Here”, Roman said grumpily as he shoved his own left-over rabbit at Anxiety. “I’ve eaten plenty and if you keep killing the rabbits we won’t have any for winter.”

Anxiety bit into the rabbit and smiled a little. It felt like ages since he’d eaten something so delicious. He supposed it was Patton who had cocked since normally he would do it or Roman, part of their way of paying the debt back to the smaller man for letting them stay with him.  
Once the food had been eaten and Patton had moved away to his sleeping quarters Anxiety rounded on Roman.

“I’m going to be your brother’s bodyguard”, was all he needed to say before Roman slunk into the chair, mixed emotions racing through him at a rapid pace. “He gave me some clothes to wear and I wanted to talk to you about their previous owner.”

Roman sighed, swallowed and looked up at Anxiety. “Show me.”

Anxiety walked back into the room with all the items he had been given adorning his body. The brown boots coming to a stop below his knees. Black pants, easy to manoeuvre in stretching up his legs, cut off as the coat fell around him like a cape. He had done up a series of buttons that connected two pieces of cloth on the inside of the coat, becoming more a waistcoat around his torso and chest. The twin swords poked out underneath the coat and his daggers and pistols stayed hidden under the comfortable fabric. Anxiety watched as Roman’s face paled a little, a small smile making its way onto his face as he tried to be positive.

“L-looks great”, Roman said in a quivering voice. Turning back to the fire and gripping the pouch around his neck in hopes the gems inside may offer some support in the wake of the terror.

“What did the previous bodyguard do?”, Anxiety asked, taking a seat close to Roman as he watched Roman’s face.

“He, uh…he was merciless. He would kill anyone who touched the princess in the wrong way. All pervious bodyguards were chosen because of their fearlessness, ferocity, protectiveness, battle prowess and…ability to kill even their own friends and family. They were psychopaths, but since they protected the crown so well no one cared. The never showed emotions or did anything that would upset their charges. 

“If you were found with their charge, and their charge was crying, you’d better hope that another bodyguard would intervene or you were as good as dead. They…could kill anyone and everyone like they were magic or something. 

“We used to have a bodyguard, he was the last until you I suppose, but he…he scared all of us. He protected my mother until her death by disease. He’d watch us like a hawk while we played. He seemed to watch Logan the most though. Mother did prefer to spend time with Logan while I was busy with father. They were so alike. He reminds me of her a lot”, Roman paused his speech to sniff and smile at the fire. Anxiety took the moment to reflect on what he had heard. Could he really kill anyone who hurt Logan? Yes, but he had his limits. He’d never actually killed one of Logan’s would-be assassins. He’d merely struck them unconscious and deposited them into the jail at the far end of the city. But, could he kill for Logan? Well…perhaps…one day, he may. One day he may have to.

“Anyway, the last Lord Protector has since been executed for treason against my family, thought to have killed the previous king and queen. My mother’s parents died when she was small, but she often recounted her days with her bodyguard as being good days. 

“I hope when it comes time for you to take up the role once more as a protector of my family, you will be willing to do all things to keep my brother safe. Logan means the world to me and if you hurt him, or allow him to be hurt…I will send the entire kingdom after you, I will burn the city and all that surrounds it to the ground if that’s what it takes to find you. If I could be the new Lord Protector I would, but being of royal blood and little skill I am not a good choice to take up the role.

“Protect my brother, but know you have been warned”, Roman finished off, eyeing Anxiety as he watched Roman. The duo let the thick air hang between them. This night a reminder of what would happen if Anxiety messed up.


	7. Threat to the Crown

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bodyguard, Lord Protector, High Defender. When will you abandon me?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry I didn't really know how to finish this.

“Congratulations, my prince. You have earned this”, Logan heard his uncle say. He grit his teeth and walked faster through the corridors almost making the guards loose him. He stormed up the stairs and into his room, slamming the doors shut as he entered his sleeping chambers. He heard the scratching of metal on stone and wood and looked up into Anxiety’s eyes. He heaved a sigh and pushed his back against the doors, sliding down them with no will left. Anxiety got up from his sitting position on the window sill of the tower and walked over, taking a seat next to Logan and allowing the prince to drop his head onto Anxiety’s shoulder. Anxiety grimaced as he remembered the older brother’s words. He would never harm someone like Logan. How could he? The prince meant so much to him. Like…like…Anxiety couldn’t think anymore as Logan was lulled to sleep and his body slumped, exhausted from all the events of the coronations planning. 

Anxiety let his hand drift to take hold of Logan’s and he gripped the hand softly. Is this why he’d make such a good guard for Logan because he cared so deeply for the prince. He could barely think when the prince was like this, snuggled up beside him with no intention of leaving him alone. He sighed softly as he pulled his shoulder away, steadying Logan as his body began to fall to the floor. He scooped the man up and walked over to his bed, laying the prince down on the covers. 

Anxiety looked over the man one last time before turning and taking a seat in a chair close to the bed. He’d have to be there for when Logan woke up. He’d promised never to leave him alone and he never broke a promise.

Most things in life work out well, some not so much. Such was Logan’s decision when he woke up on his bed with Anxiety sleeping not far off. Logan smiled as he surveyed the clothing Anxiety had picked out. Bodyguard, Lord Protector, High Defender, all things Anxiety was known for, well…at least by Logan’s standards. He was sure that Anxiety would be a great bodyguard. 

 

The guards shifted in fear as the prince and bodyguard strolled past. Anxiety wore his usual blank façade, but underneath he was tense. Any of these guards could try to hurt the prince, something he would not allow. He tried to shake himself out of it. Why was he so protective over Logan just now? He’d been tailing the prince for years and only now had he realised how many people Logan had around him, how many could be assassins in disguise. He almost wished he hadn’t become Logan’s bodyguard, he could do so much more in the shadows. But Logan needed this, this reassuring presence from having someone he trusted near. So, as much as Anxiety wished he were back in the shadows he knew that he would never be able to leave Logan now knowing what he knew. 

Logan kept his head forwards, chin high, face calm and cold as he walked to the throne room. He opened the doors and walked inside, Anxiety in tow. His bodyguard had been keeping an eye on everyone that they had passed and Logan’s usual nervousness had been placated slightly. Logan climbed the stairs to the thrones and ran a hand over the smooth gold and wood. Anxiety watched him from the bottom of the stairs, he felt like he should kneel, but he grit his teeth and watched his charge, hand at the ready resting on the hilt of his sword. After a couple of minutes, he sighed softly, surveyed the room one and took a seat on the very side of the room on the stairs, pulling out one sword to lean on in case someone tried to attack while he was unaware. 

Logan’s uncle walked in a few moments after Anxiety sat down, surveying the throne room before he looked at his nephew. He smirked at his nephew, drawing a dagger before approaching. He crept up the stairs towards his nephew until the sound of something cutting through the air made him stop. Logan turned around and stared at the sight. His uncle was being kept at bay by Anxiety, whose sword was firmly positioned at his neck. Logan almost shivered at how dark Anxiety’s eyes were, full of cold, hard anger. 

“Anxiety”, Logan said, squaring his jaw and watching as Anxiety looked up at him, hard edges melting into a frown as he pulled his sword away and stood back. Logan’s uncle looked back at him, shock and horror running through his veins at the sight of the coat that Anxiety wore.

“A bodyguard”, he whispered softly, dagger dropping out of sight of his nephew.

“Yes, this is Anxiety, my…our newest edition to the royal household. He will be my Lord Protector, my bodyguard. I decided one would be necessary after all the assassination attempts I have been receiving and we can’t have my death days before my coronation, now, can we?”, Logan said, a smirk on his face disappearing into a cold, blank facade as his uncle turned around.

“No, no…of course we can’t”, his uncle said, hand gripping the blade within his robes. He bowed slightly and turned to Anxiety, glaring at the man. Anxiety glared back, pulling his sword up and smirking as Logan’s uncle ran as fast as he could while remaining some dignity, out of the room. 

“Why can’t I just kill him? He had a dagger and he was going to kill you”, Anxiety said, exaggerating the last part of his statement.

“If my uncle dies I have no one to look after me but the maids and guards. I would not be crowned for years”, Logan said simply, walking past Anxiety with his hands clasped behind his back.

“Tch, I can’t promise I won’t kill him next time he tries something”, Anxiety muttered, pushing his sword back into place in its sheath and turning to the door with a glare on his face.

“My brother has certainly gotten to you, hasn’t he? When I am king I will clear his name and your friend may come live with us in the castle. I will make sure you are all well looked after”, Logan said as he walked down the stairs, Anxiety trailing after him.

“That’s…that’s not what I-…we want”, Anxiety said, sighing slightly as Logan turned to him with a confused look. 

“Then…what do you want? Surely you did not do this out of the goodness of your heart. Do you…owe my brother something? It that is the case I will make him drop the debt as soon as my coronation is over”, Logan said watching as Anxiety’s face hardened into a frown.

“That’s not it either…look just drop it. It’s cool or whatever”, Anxiety said, hunching his shoulders and tearing his eyes away from Logan. He couldn’t tell the prince the real reason he was doing this anymore. Truth be told he had expected himself to drop the idea of protecting Logan as soon as the prince no longer had enemies, now he was rethinking it. Perhaps he should stay on, if only for a little bit. 

 

The coronation was wrapped up quickly. Streamers and confetti decorating the pavement, colour throw into the grey of the stone. Logan had done his best to prepare a speech for the crowd and he felt terrible, but somehow having Anxiety there made him feel better. Especially when a rogue assassin had tried to attack him with poisoned darts. Anxiety had moved quickly and blocked all of them, not getting hit once the whole ordeal. Logan had almost collapsed in fright, but he remained strong, he had others to worry about now he was king. The regent had stepped back and his uncle had sat there, jaw squared, teeth grinding together as he clapped along with everyone else. 

Now Logan was alone. Banquet over and gone, guests dispersed and bodyguard asleep in the chair next to his bed. Logan smiled softly. He made his way to the door and walked out of the room quietly. He gripped the bannister down to the large flight of stairs to the ballroom. He grimaced as he remembered all the people who had asked him to dance that night. He had ended up dancing with multiple partners, not being one to refuse those who wanted so little. None had appealed to him though, and so he was left without any idea of who he would rule with. He watched a man scurry around downstairs and recognised him as a scribe. He called out to the man and walked down the stairs, he had a few laws to amend.

Anxiety awoke with a heavy feeling in the pit of his stomach. He reached out and touched Logan’s bed expecting to find the prince tucked up in the sheets. Upon finding no such thing he started out of any sleep that may linger and grabbed his swords. He raced out of the room and through the castle stopping when he heard Logan’s voice. He peaked out around the column to watch a scribe, whose name escaped him at present, talking to Logan and scribbling something down on a piece of parchment. Anxiety watched the two, leaning back in the shadows by the column. He knew Logan would be doing what he thought was good and right. He just hoped the prince knew what he was doing.


	8. The End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All is well in Ashwood, for the time being.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaaaaannnnndddd...we're done. It's finished. All over. I don't like the ending. Maybe I should rewrite it. What do you all think?

Roman had barely opened his first drink for the day when four guards strolled into his tavern. 

“You”, one of them said, pointing at him. “Come with us.”

Roman followed them to their horses and was taken on the back of one of the guard’s horses to the castle. He was escorted into the throne room and left there. He heard a small whimper and turned to see Patton on the side of the room. He walked over and pulled the other into a one-armed hug, draping his cloak over the other gently. They turned when the door opened and Logan strolled in accompanied by multiple scribes and Anxiety.

“Ah, good you’re here”, Logan said smiling at the two. Patton began to get down on his knees, but Logan took his hand making the poor man stand awkwardly. “Don’t bow, you should have no respect for me yet.”

Logan swept his way to Roman, hugging his brother before walking to the thrones and standing at the top, not taking a seat. Anxiety walked over to the pair as the three waited for Logan to finish with the scribes. Logan smiled and the scribes walked out, discussing their new decrees among themselves. 

“Finally”, Logan breathed, sitting down on the top stair and leaning back slightly. “I thought they’d never leave.”

“So, why are we here?”, Roman asked, watching as his brother sat back up and smiled at him.

“Well, aren’t you going to be the king now?”, Logan asked, taking the small gold crown off his head and holding out as if Roman were to come and take it. Roman sputtered, face turning red.

“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about, your majesty”, he cried out, looking away and mumbling.

“Don’t be so overdramatic. You’ve been cleared of all charges and our uncle is now jailed”, Logan said, smirking at the three who looked at him somewhat bewildered at the sudden turn of events. 

“But- but…”, Roman tried to think of an argument. Not finding one he looked up at his brother with a hopeful smile. 

“Yeah, I’ve cleared you, put uncle away, had Anxiety officially enrolled as a bodyguard for myself and Patton is free to stay in the castle if he so wishes. All of which is completely up to all of you, I won’t force you to do anything. So, how about it?”, Logan asked the group, smiling as he tossed the crown to Roman and hugged his knees to his chest. Roman looked up and smiled. He dropped the crown and ran up to his brother, hugging him with all the love he could manage.

“Best little brother in the world”, he said, smiling into Logan’s hair.

“How about you two?”, Logan asked, looking past his older brother at Anxiety and Patton.

“I-I don’t want to intrude-”, Patton began, cut off by Logan’s hand gesturing him to stop.

“My brother has been living with you for over a year. You can live here all you want, you’ve done my family a great service”, Logan said, smiling happily at Patton, who began to tear up at the gesture. Anxiety smirked and tilted his head in a quick bowing gesture at the two brothers. Time would only tell if he’d let Logan know how he felt. He looked over to Patton and smiled at the other as tears of happiness spilled down his cheeks. 

“L-Lo, there is one thing I want you to do”, Roman spoke up, he whispered to Logan as the other two watched. Logan’s face turned a light shade of pink as he yelped, embarrassment clear on his face.

“R-Roman, why would you…how…why would you even suggest such an idea”, Logan asked shrilly, hands coming up to cover his mouth as Roman laughed, hand clasping his head.

“Tell him or I will”, Roman said through his laughter, trying in vain to regain some composure.

“He-he doesn’t even like me back”, Logan said, hands rubbing over his face as he hid behind them. 

“How do you…how do you know, he could be…could be your knight in shining armor!”, Roman yelled as he paused between words to laugh. 

“Roman it isn’t funny”, Logan said, trying to stifle his own laughter, soon failing as he let a little chuckle fall from his lips. 

“Oh really, let’s ask them, shall we?”, Roman asked, wiggling his eyebrows at Logan, who groaned in embarrassment. 

“No”, Logan whined as Roman laughed some more. Patton and Anxiety looked at each other in confusion, before the prince and king got up and walked over to them.

“W-would you do my brother the h-honour of marrying him?”, Roman asked though chuckles as Logan blushed furiously and hit Roman in the shoulder lightly.

“He-he’s joking with you”, Logan said, looking at the two with a red face.

“Which of us would it be?”, Patton asked, looking at Roman with a knowing smile while Anxiety glared at Roman. 

“Oh, I think we both know who it would be”, Roman said, laughing as he turned to the door, sauntering towards it before stopping and waiting. 

“Shall we Patton?”

“We shall. Bye you two crazy kids”, Patton said as the pair raced out the door, laughter echoing in the halls. Anxiety felt the heat creeping up his neck as he heard Logan mutter something about killing them later, joking of course. 

“So”, Anxiety said, glancing away while rubbing the back of his neck.

“Yeah, sorry. My brother can be…weird at times”, Logan said softly, scratching his wrist.

“Tell me about it”, Anxiety groaned in fake annoyance. The two laughed softly and smiled at each other.

“Maybe we should talk about this. Dinner?”, Anxiety asked, bending his back a little in a mock bow.

“Delighted”, Logan said, smiling as he did a small mock curtsey and walked out of the room. Anxiety smiled after him before realizing that he was meant to be Logan’s bodyguard and rushing out to catch up with him. There would be lots to talk about tonight.


End file.
